Shrub rose plant named &#39;KORcracfir&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Shrub Rose Plant, herein referred to by its cultivar name, ‘KORcracfir’, is provided which forms in abundance on a substantially continuous basis attractive, salmon-orange colored blossoms. The vegetation is vigorous and the growth habit is compact and bushy. Attractive semi-glossy, dark green foliage is formed. The resistance to disease is very good. The new variety is particularly well suited for providing distinctive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Latin name—Rosa hybrida. Commonname—Shrub Rose Plant. Varietal denomination—‘KORcracfir’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Rosa hybrida Shrub Rose Plant of the presentinvention was created during 2008 at Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany byartificial pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previouslyhad been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., seed parent) of the newvariety was an unnamed seedling variety (non-patented in the UnitedStates). The male parent (i.e., pollen parent) was the ‘NOA75800’variety (non-patented in the United States).

The parentage can be summarized as follows:

unnamed seedling x ‘NOA75800’

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new Shrub Rose Plant of the present inventionpossesses the following combination of characteristics:

(a) abundantly and substantially continuously forms attractive,salmon-orange colored blossoms,

(b) exhibits a compact and bushy growth habit,

(c) forms vigorous vegetation,

(d) forms attractive ornamental semi-glossy, dark green foliage, and

(e) exhibits very good disease resistance.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. Itcan be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, publicareas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant isparticularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors. Morespecifically, the unnamed seedling female parent (i.e., seed parent)displays a lower petal count and has a different flower color than thatof the new variety. Additionally, the ‘NOA75800’ variety (i.e., pollenparent) exhibits a different flower color and is less vigorous than thenew variety. Moreover, the new variety can be readily distinguished fromnon-parental related similar varieties. For example, the ‘HARpageant’variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,587) exhibits a fragrance, providesorange-apricot colored blossoms and displays more petals compared to thenew variety, whereas the new variety exhibits no noticeable fragranceand provides salmon-orange colored blossoms. In addition, the ‘Radral’variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19803) exhibits a strong citrus-rosefragrance and displays more petals compared to the new variety, whereasthe new variety exhibits no noticeable fragrance.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in KleinOffenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany by a number of routes such as budding.Asexual propagation techniques in Germany have shown that thecharacteristics of the new variety are homogeneous, stable, and strictlytransmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation toanother. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in atrue-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘KORcracfir’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this character,typical specimens of the new variety. The illustrated rose plants of thenew variety were approximately two years of age and were observed atJacksonville, Oreg. during September 2015 while growing outdoors ontheir own roots.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a plant displaying floral buds andflowers at varying points of opening.

FIG. 2—illustrates specimen of flowers in the course of opening.

FIG. 3—illustrates specimen of the foliage—plane view—obtuse.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart, 2015 edition). Theterminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added toindicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The descriptionis based on the observation of a one-year-old specimen of the newvariety, observed during August, while growing in a one-gallon containeron its own roots at Cochranville, Pa.

-   Class: Shrub Rose Plant.-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Compact, very bushy, and upright.        -   Height.—Approximately 45.0 cm on average from the top of the            soil plane.        -   Width.—Approximately 45.0 cm on average.-   Branches:    -   -   Stem color.—Old wood is commonly near Green Group 138A            transitions to Greyed-Orange Group 177B as it hardens; young            stems are commonly near Green Group 143A.        -   Main stem length.—Approximately 40.0 cm on average.        -   Secondary stem length.—Approximately 10.0 to 15.0 cm on            average.        -   Surface texture.—Mature stems are a mixture of smooth and            rough as the stems begin to turn woody; immature stems are            smooth.        -   Thorns.—Amount: commonly 7 thorns per 10.0 cm of stem. —            young thorns: length is approximately 6.0 mm on average,            width is approximately 3.0 mm at point of attachment on            average, and color is commonly near Yellow-Green Group 145A.            — old thorns: length is approximately 7.0 mm on average,            width is approximately 4.0 mm at point of attachment on            average, and color is commonly near Greyed-Orange Group            177A.-   Foliage:    -   -   General appearance.—Semi-glossy, dark green.        -   Young foliage.—Upper surface color: commonly a blend of near            Green Group NN137 and Greyed-Purple Group 183A. — under            surface color: commonly a blend of near Green Group 137C and            Greyed-Purple Group 183C.        -   Old foliage.—Upper surface color: commonly near Green Group            137A. — under surface color: commonly near Green Group 137C.        -   Petiole.—Upper surface: texture is glabrous, color is            commonly near Green Group 137B. — under surface: texture is            glabrous, color is commonly near Green Group 137D. — length:            approximately 2.0 cm on average.        -   Rachis.—Color: upper surface is commonly near Green Group            137B, under surface is commonly near Green Group 137D. —            size: length is approximately 5.5 cm on average. — surface            texture: smooth with a few small prickles on the under            surface.        -   Stipules.—Length: approximately 11.0 mm on average. — width:            approximately 5.0 mm on average. — margin: entire to erose.            — color: upper surface is commonly near Yellow-Green Group            144B; lower surface is commonly near Yellow-Green Group            144C.        -   Leaf margin.—Serrate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Odd pinnate.-   Leaflets:    -   -   Number.—3, 5, and 7.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Venation.—Pattern is reticulate and color is commonly near            Greyed-Purple Group 183C.        -   Texture.—Upper surface is smooth; lower surface is smooth.        -   Size.—Terminal leaflet: length is approximately 6.0 cm on            average; width is approximately 3.0 cm on average. — lower            leaflets: length is approximately 3.5 cm on average and            width is approximately 2.0 cm on average. — 5-Leaflet leaf:            length is approximately 10.0 cm on average and width is            approximately 8.5 cm on average.        -   Terminal leaflet general.—Glossiness intensity of upper            surface is strong; margin undulation is weak; apex shape is            acute; base shape is rounded.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—Approximately 26 blooms open on average            on a plant at once.        -   Number of blooms per stem or in a cluster.—Commonly 1 bloom            per stem on average.        -   Type.—Solitary inflorescence.        -   Size.—Length is approximately 7.0 cm on average; and width            is approximately 7.0 cm on average.        -   Peducle.—Color: commonly Yellow-Green Group 144A. —            diameter: approximately 2.0 mm on average. — length:            approximately 5.0 cm on average. — surface texture:            glabrous.        -   Sepals.—Number: commonly 5. — upper surface color and            texture: covered in short pubescence and color is commonly            near Yellow-Green Group 144A. — under surface color and            texture: puberulent and color is commonly near Yellow-Green            Group 144B. — size: length is approximately 1.5 cm on            average and width is approximately 6.0 mm on average. —            shape: lanceolate; apex is acute to aristate. — margin:            entire with occasional extensions on two or three sepals            measuring approximately 3.0 mm in length and approximately            1.0 mm in width.        -   Bud.—Shape: ovoid. — size: length is approximately 2.0 cm on            average; width is approximately 1.5 cm on average. — color            (when opening): commonly near Yellow-Orange Group 16A            blending to Red Group 43B towards the apex.        -   Flower.—Salmon-orange colored. — form: semi-double, cuplike.            — shape: rounded. — diameter: approximately 7.0 cm on            average. — height: approximately 2.5 cm on average. —            duration: commonly on the plant approximately 5 days. —            color upper surface when opening/after opening/fully open:            commonly near Yellow Group 13A at the point of attachment            blending to near Orange-Red Group 32C and Orange-Red Group            32B towards the apex; basal spot color is commonly near            Yellow Group 13A. — color under surface upon opening/after            opening/fully open: commonly mostly near Yellow Group 13B            with some blending of Orange-Red Group 31B at the margins.        -   Fragrance.—None noticeable.        -   Petal.—Number: approximately 9 on average. — drop:            excellent. — length: approximately 3.0 cm on average. —            width: approximately 3.0 cm on average. — shape: overall            shape is broadly obovate; apex is round; and base is            cuneate. — texture: upper and under surface is glabrous. —            margin: entire; margin undulation is strong.        -   Petaloids.—Color upper surface when opening/after            opening/fully open: commonly near Yellow Group 13A at the            point of attachment blending to near Orange-Red Group 32C            and Orange-Red Group 32B towards the apex; basal spot color            is commonly near Yellow Group 13A. — color under surface            upon opening/after opening/fully open: commonly mostly near            Yellow Group 13B with some blending of Orange-Red Group 31B            at the margins.        -   Stamen.—Number: approximately 80 on average. — anthers:            number is about 80 and color is commonly near Orange Group            26A; length is approximately 4.0 mm on average. — filaments:            length is approximately 8.0 mm on average and color is            commonly near Yellow-Orange Group 23A.        -   Pistils.—Arrangement: separate and free. — number:            approximately 56. — style: color is commonly near            Yellow-Green Group 144D with some color of near            Greyed-Purple Group 185C just below the stigma; length is            approximately 1.0 cm on average. — stigma: color is commonly            near Yellow-Green Group 151D; diameter is commonly less than            1.0 mm on average.        -   Receptacle.—Achenes stand on the bottom and wall; diameter            is approximately 8.0 mm on average, shape is round, color is            commonly near Yellow-Green Group 144A, and surface texture            is smooth.        -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Hips.—None observed.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Dark green, vigorous, semi-glossy, and strong.        -   Hardiness zone.—USDA Zone 6b.        -   Blooming.—Abundant and substantially continuous from spring            through frost.        -   Tolerance to diseases.—Very good.

Plants of the ‘KORcracfir’ variety have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possiblethat the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in lightintensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmentalconditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Shrub Rose Plant characterized by thefollowing combination of characteristics: (a) abundantly andsubstantially continuously forms attractive, salmon-orange coloredblossoms, (b) exhibits a compact and bushy growth habit, (c) formsvigorous vegetation, (d) forms attractive ornamental semi-glossy, darkgreen foliage, and (e) exhibits very good disease resistance;substantially as herein shown and described.